The present invention relates to a filing system for handling digitized image data, and more particularly, to a simplified filing apparatus dispensing with a sophisticated retrieving function although having image data storage and extraction functions.
With development of digital technology in general, image data is recorded not only by being printed onto paper but also by being stored on optical disks or magneto-optical disks as files. A prior art reference related to a filing function for storing image data on an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk as a file is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Sho 62-219769. According to this prior art, in storing the image data on the optical disk or the magneto-optical disk, a predetermined identifier (hereinafter, referred to as ID) is assigned to the file of the image data to be stored and the ID is coded by use of a code such as a bar code so that a known machine is capable of identifying the code. The code is superimposed on the image data so as to be placed at a predetermined position on the first page of the image data, and a registration sheet carrying the code is produced in order that the user can grasp the contents of the image data.
When the stored image data is extracted, the registration sheet is read out by a scanner, etc. and the code on the registration sheet is converted into the ID. By identifying the file based on the ID, target image data can be easily extracted.
Since digitized image data includes a large quantity of information, large-capacity removable recording media such as optical disks or magneto-optical disks have been frequently used for storing the image data. However, large-capacity removable recording media have a weak point in that the access speed is low. On the contrary, a hard disk has a great access speed. Therefore, hard disks, which have been increasing in capacity and decreasing in price, are more and more frequently used as recording media.
Conventionally, the filing function has been provided in filing apparatuses specifically designed for that purpose. In recent years, with rapid growth of complex digital apparatuses having a combined function which includes those of a digital copying apparatus, a facsimile apparatus and a printer, etc., a filing function is more frequently incorporated in complex digital apparatuses as a function thereof. Recently, together with the installation of a plurality of complex digital apparatuses each having a filing function in one office, when image data of a user is stored in a recording medium such as a hard disk, a situation is liable to arise that the user can not identify which one of the complex digital apparatuses stores the data in it's recording medium corresponding to the registration sheet of desired image data. Also, there is a problem as to ease of access to the desired image data. In addition, there is a problem with the security and confidentiality of the image data because anyone having the registration sheet can easily extract the image data.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a filing apparatus wherein desired information stored in one of a plurality of recording media is easily accessed and confidentiality is securable.